


Take me away from time and season

by magicalightwood



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Afterlife, F/M, Love Confessions, Post-Canon, Sibling Bonding, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 08:13:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18687598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicalightwood/pseuds/magicalightwood
Summary: The battle had stopped. The dead were gone in a second. They had fought back to back or side by side all night so she knew he was alive but she needed to see him so she turned on her left where she found Jamie already looking at her. There were so many things she wanted to say and it looked like he did too. Now was not the time. Many had fallen and she needed to know who.





	Take me away from time and season

**Author's Note:**

> Like many other did, I wrote after last sunday's episode. So here is my take on the aftermath of the battle of Winterfell. I had to write both Brienne and Jamie finally confessing their love and Robb and Theon meeting again so here it is.  
> English is not my first langage so there are probably some mistakes, they are my own and I apologize for them.  
> The title comes from the song "Take me away" from Globus.

« What do we say to the god of death? », « Not today » and with that she ran off to the Godswood where Bran was and where the Night King will soon be.  
When she arrived there, the Night King wasn’t yet. It was just Bran and Theon but they couldn’t see her. Surprise was her only chance. So she made her way to the trees and climbed to hide, despite her many bruises and her bleeding arm?. The Night King arrived not long after. She heard Bran say Theon was a good man, she smiled at that. Seconds later, Theon turned to certain death and she saw on his face that he thought he failed Bran, the Starks, Winterfell. She wanted to do something but she couldn’t save him and Bran. And kill the Night King. Just before the Night King killed him, Theon looked up and saw Arya who sadly smiled at him (and he smiled in return). The next moment he was dead. She hadn’t seen Theon in years, she knew he had done horrible things but that he also went through a lot and saved Sansa and fought all night for Bran, for them, and for their home. And no matter what had happened, he would always be the big brother who taught her how to shoot arrows. His death hurt more than she would have thought it but the was no time for that now. She needed to kill the Night King and make sure Theon and the Ironborns, Beric and all the other she didn’t know had fallen had not die in vain.  
She waited till the last moment and jumped. She surprised the Night King but he was quick to grip her throat. Luckily, she too was quick and she killed him. She fell to the ground. She did it and she was alive. Bran was alive. She hoped Sansa and Jon were too. And Gendry. And the Hound. She got up, hugged Bran and went to Theon. The battle was over so she stood with him. Someone will eventually come to check on Bran. 

The battle had stopped. The dead were gone in a second. They had fought back to back or side by side all night so she knew he was alive but she needed to see him so she turned on her left where she found Jamie already looking at her. There were so many things she wanted to say and it looked like he did too. Now was not the time. Many had fallen and she needed to know who. A short distance from them she saw Podrick and felt another breath of relief. Jamie called her name but she couldn’t do whatever it was going to be now but she turned back to him anyway. « We need to talk, Ser Brienne » he said his voice low but his eyes brightly shining, « I know, we will, I promise » and with that and a smile she went.  
One of the first things she saw entering behind the walls of Winterfell was a dead giant and next to him one of the bravest girl she met. She took the young Lady Mormont in her arms, closed her eyes and let tears run down her cheeks. Tormund found her, she was happy to see him alive and so was he. He told her about the ones she didn’t know had fallen: Beric Dondarrion, Ser Jorah and the Red Lady. Them, Lyanna Mormont, the Dothraki, many Unsullied, who else? 

Jon and Sansa came together in the Godswood. They saw Bran first and hugged him. « What happened? », Jon asked and Bran simply looked behind his siblings. They turned around and saw Arya with seras running down her face, covered in blood some dripping in the snow where she sat. Her hands holding Theon’s. Jon took his little sister in his arms and Sansa cried over Theon’s body, hugging him. After a while, Arya spoke « He’s the reason we’re alive, he fought all night. I had to get here because he fought all night. ». Sansa sadly smiled, « Of course he would ». After some more moments, they stood and went back to the castle.  
When they got there, they were informed of the losses. Sansa needed to do something so she saw that the wounded were being cared of, that those who could gather their too many dead. She felt tears in her eyes when she saw Brienne of Tarth carrying the dead body of Lyanna Mormont, she was certain she died as bravely as she lived. Then she saw Jon carrying Ser Jorah, Daenerys was crying by his side. She may not like her much but seeing her so broken saddened her.  
Arya found Gendry alive and then looked for Sandor Clegane because despite everything, he saved her. She found him, still with Beric. She quietly entered the room and simply stated « We won thanks to you ». He looked at her with annoyance and disbelief in his eyes so she explained « You went near the fire, you saved my life, I killed the Night King. We won because of you. » He offered a small but genuine smile. 

Later when Brienne was in her room feeling guilty for being alive when so many were not, including the young Lady, there was a knock on her door. She couldn’t bother to get up to open. He was most certainly Pod or Jamie; either of them would let himself in anyway. She was so glad that both of them were alive, she felt guilt about that too. Turned out she was right when Jamie entered the room. He looked as exhausted as she felt. She finally stood from her chair. Time had come to have a talk.  
« We’re alive » he simply said, she nodded and added « I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for you so thank you Ser Jamie ». « And I wouldn’t be either without you », he stopped, took a deep breath and continued « I couldn’t bear the thought of you being dead, I never will. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, Ser Brienne. » She watched him not knowing what to do or say as she was hearing things she didn’t dare to dream about. He went on, his voice gaining confidence « I came here because of what you said, because you made me want to become a better man, one that could maybe one day be good enough for you. I came here tonight by your side because I just couldn’t live doing nothing when you were maybe dying at the other end of the world. And I’m still not good enough for the wonderful person you are and probably never will be but I almost lost you too many times tonight to not say anything Brienne. » The man in front of her was so different from the one she met but even then she always knew he was a good man. They had lived many things together and with each one of them he took a more important place in her heart but right now she couldn’t allow herself such happiness.  
With a trembling voice she told him as much « This, you, it’s everything I never cared to hope for but too many had died, so many who deserved to live, who were too young to die. I have no right to have such a good thing right now. Knowing that you, Pod and the ladies Stark are alive should be enough. » She looked down to hide the tears in her eyes. Jamie gently cupped her face in his good hand so he could look her in the eyes once again « We defeated the army of the Dead, many of us died doing that and I think the best way to honour them is to actually live while we can. None of them would blame you for being happy. You deserve it just as much you deserved to be a knight ». She smiled at the memory; it felt almost like a lifetime ago. She couldn’t replay argue with what he said, she knew he was right but she didn’t feel less guilty. He could sense that. « We might have won a very important battle but the war is not won yet. We could die in King’s Landing in a few weeks. And I, for one, would rather spend this time by the side of the woman I love. »  
He told all of this with such sincerity in his eyes, she felt tears in hers once again. She couldn’t find words to respond to all the beautiful thing he said and she thought she did nor deserve. She chose another way to express what she felt, words will come later. With all her courage, she slowly moved to kiss him, just a chaste brush of their lips but they both smiled into it. She then pulled away and looked him in the eyes when she whispered « I love you » which a told her right back before he kissed her again, longer. They broke apart when they heard someone entering the room, they must have missed the knock, it couldn’t be anyone else than Pod. They were proven right when the young squire spoke « It was about time but I’m glad to be alive to witness it ». 

Even with the Night King gone they will take no risk so the next day, they burned their dead. All losses were important but the Starks mourned Theon the most. Sansa suggested giving him a place in the crypt, the all agreed. He would be next to Robb in the next life as he vowed to be in this one. No matter what had happened, they knew their older brother would agree too.  
After what felt equally a second and forever, Theon woke up. He didn’t understand since he was pretty sure he died and yet he was in a room he would always recognize: his old room in Winterfell. His moves hap captured the attention of the other person in the room. When that person moved closer, Theon thought he was dreaming. Never would he have hoped to see those yes and those curls again. Yet, here in front of him stood Robb Stark with tears in his eyes.  
He didn’t know how long Robb would be there so he had to speak quickly. « I’m truly sorry for all I’ve done to you, to your family, to our home » Robb wanted to stop him right now but the look in Theon’s eye told him to let him finish first so he did. « I thought I had to choose and I chose wrong but I realized it too late you were already dead, your mother too and there were no more Starks in Winterfell. And Sansa came back and I didn’t help her either. I’m sorry Robb. » Tears were running down both their faces and Robb hugged him like he often did a lifetime ago and that was his turn to speak « I was mad at you but not for long, then I was hurt, that lasted longer. Then I was dead, I died and I never got to say how sorry I was for making you feel like you weren’t a Stark, for making you choose when you did not have too. I know what happened to you and I blame myself. So I’m truly sorry too. Know that you are forgiven; we’ve all forgiven you Theon, a long time ago. And we’re grateful for all you’ve done for the family. You didn’t kill Bran and Rickon. You saved both of your sisters, Stark and Greyjoy. And last night, you saved Bran; you’re the reason Arya got to kill the Night King. The Living won because of you Theon. »  
Theon had no words to respond. They had won, he did not fail them. This time he kept his promise. He was a good man, Bran said and maybe he was. He hugged Robb once more and then Robb took his hand « Come, mother, father, Rickon, Maester Luwin, Hodor, they all want to see you but I wanted you alone first ». They went to the hall, which looked like it had a long time ago before Ned Stark left for King’s Landing. He had missed this place and these people. Ned Stark greeted him « Welcome home, son » and that was enough for new tears. Lady Catelyn hugged him and Rickon joined in. « As happy as I am to see you again, I hoped it wouldn’t be so soon. Let’s hope your siblings won’t be joining anytime soon » she said looking from him to Robb to Rickon. » Son, siblings, home, it was all he had ever wanted and maybe now he deserved it.


End file.
